Needle



Nov. 12, 1940. c. s. ANTCLIFF NEEDLE Filed Nov. 22, 19:5 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Inventor 47 J. vV/rfo/f/i Attorneys Patented Nov. 12; 1940 uul rso'srATEs nanmn Gland S. Antcllfl, Salem, Ark, assignor to Myrtle L.Antclifl and said tenants Olaud S. Antcliif as loint ApplicationNovember 22, 1938, Serial No. 241L863 1 Claim. (Cl.- 112-224) Myinvention relates to improvements sewing machine needles and theprincipal object is to provide an emcient needle of the self-threadingtype which is strong and durable, will not ,chafe nor break the thread,and will not become unthreaded.

Other and subordinate objects are also comprehended by my invention allof which together with the precise nature of my improvements will becomereadily apparent when the succeeding description and claim are read withreference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of thisspecification.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation illustrating my improved needleand constructed for a righthand rotary sewing machine, and attached tothe usual needle bar,

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation drawn to an enlarged scale andshowing the needle detached, 1

Figure 3 is a view in front elevation detached,

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of the butt end of the needle,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the leading end ofthe needle drawn to a further enlarged scale, and

Figure 6 is a view in side elevation of a modifled form of needle for aleft-hand rotary type machine.

Figure 7 is a view in longitudinal section taken on the line 1-1 ofFigure 5.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, an first to Figures 1 to 6, theneedle ofmy invention comprises a substantially hexagonal butt end I forfitting into the usual socket part 2 of the needle bar 3 to be retainedtherein by the set screw 4. Preferably the butt end I is slightlyconvergent laterally toward what constitutes the lefthand side thereofto facilitate insertion into different types of socket parts 3. At thebase of the butt end I is a lateral stop flange 5, on the right handside, for cooperation with the socket part 3 to establish the limit ofmovement of said end into said part.

The shaft 6, or body, of the needle is round and at a suitable pointremote from the point I is provided in the longitudinal center thereofwith an eye 8 extending from right to left and inclining downwardly fromleft to right, said eye being substantially elliptical and extendinglengthwise of the shaft 6. As will presently more clearly appear, theneedle is threaded from left to right and the described inclination ofthe eye I provides against cutting or chafing of the thread by the endsof said eye. Surrounding the eye 8, on opposite sides of the same, areelliptical countersinks, or depressions, 9 extending lengthwise of theshaft 6 in opposite sides of said shaft, respectively, and in which saideye 8 is centered. A pair of similar smaller countersinks, ordepressions, III are provided on the front and rear sides of the shaft6, respectively, opposite said eyes 8 for, easy passage of the shuttle,not shown. Aswill be presently clear, the countersinks 9 are for housingthe thread as the needle descends into the work. a i

The shaft 6 issplit longitudinally to provide a threading slot toextending from side to side of the shaft, said slotfor the greater partof its length splitting theshaft along the longitudinal center thereof.The upper end of the slot 6a curves upwardly and forwardly, as at II,and opens on to the front of the shaft I just below the stop flange 5 sothat under the go full downstroke of the needle said opening I! is wellabove the work and the latter cannot catch therein. The lower end of theslot 6a curves forwardly and downwardly along the edge of thecountersinks 9, as at l3, and then rearwardly, as at II, to opeiirearwardly into the center of the eye 8 thereby forming together withtheupper part of said eye a down-turned hook l5, at one side of the eye inwhich the thread will be caught under the downstroke of the needle toprevent it from escaping from said eye back into the slot in and theneedle from becoming unthreaded.

Above the eye 8, upon opposite sides of the shaft 6, are a pairof-thread-receiving, or clearing, slots It extending vertically alongthe bottom of the countersinks 9 in the longitudinal center of the samefrom the upper end of the eye 8 to the slot 60., said slots l6 receivingthe thread- -under the downstroke of the needle and further preventingthe thread from entering the slot 641, 40 that is to say ,the end llthereof, and the needle from becomingunthreaded.

Below the eye 8, upon opposite sides of the shaft 6, is a pair ofdownwardly divergentribs 11 extending from the bottom of the eye 8 tothe lower endsof thecountersinks 8 and merging with the latter, saidribs functioning to prevent the edges of the countersinks 9 from cuttingthe under the upstroke of the needle. As will be understood, withoutexplanation, the described needle is threaded by entering. the thread Itin the opening I! of the slot 8a and passing the same down said slotinto the eye I.

In the form of the needle shown in Figure 6, the arrangement of theparts is somewhat re- 56 versed, the threading slot i9 opening on. tothe chines and the described somewhat reversed arrangement of parts isfor facilitating threading on such machines, whereas, the needledescribed with refe ence to Figures 1 to 5 is for use on a right-hana'otary. machine and the arrangement -of-theparts describe forfacilitating the threading on that particula I eof machine. V

"The foregoing willkit is believed, suiilce to impart a*clear understanding of my invention .)without further explanation.

anifestly the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification inother, respects than as set forth, ,without departing from the inventive["concepL/and right is herein reserved to such modifications asfaliwithin th scopeofithe supjoined ciain'n What I v.claim is:

being provided with a central eye adjacent the 5 pointed end thereof andhaving a threading slot therein leading to said eye and including astraight part extending longitudinally along the center of the shaft,and an-upper end part curving upwardly and laterally and opening on to.one 1 side of the shaft adjacent to said shank, said slot having alower"end opening into the eye at one side of the latter and forming togetherwith the upper part of the eye a downturned hook blockingescape of thethread out of the eye during 1 downstrokes of the needle, said shaftbeing recessed on opposite sides thereof around said eye for theaccommodation of the thread therein, the bottoms of said recesses beingprovided with thread-clearance channels therein above the eye 2 and inthe longitudinal center of the shaft, said channels being deeper thansaid recesses to receive the thread therein.

CLAUD S. ANTCLH'F. z

